The Trust for Public Land

The City Parks, Clean Water Initiative is an approach to stormwater management with social, ecological, and economic benefits. Many heavily urbanized areas experience detrimental impacts from flood events and the resulting stagnant water that has nowhere to drain. Paved surfaces such as parking lots, roads, and industrial complexes retain water and runoff that is often polluted with chemicals, fertilizers, and other waste. Furthermore, lower-income communities are more likely to be at the heart of such areas.

This program targets neighborhoods in which residents cannot access a park within a ten-minute walk. Studies demonstrate that parks within this range boost mental and physical well-being for people of all ages. The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is working to ensure that this privilege is afforded to all, regardless of income.

TPL also makes an active and focused effort to connect with communities and fulfill their visions of greenspace in the neighborhood. By helping people understand the political process, TPL is creating an empowered group of residents who can successfully maneuver the bureaucratic landscape and achieve results.

TPL has brought greenspaces with green infrastructure elements to neighborhoods in Cleveland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Newark, Birmingham, Fresno, New York City, Philadelphia, and many others. As San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee commented after the implementation of the Boeddeker Park in the Tenderloin, one of the densest San Francisco neighborhoods, “It's not just about the space—it's about the people. It is a tremendous investment in equity.”